Exxon's Beaumont, Texas refinery crude unit may be shut until late January: sources

Reuters Staff

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HOUSTON (Reuters) - The small crude distillation unit (CDU), damaged in a fire last week, at ExxonMobil Corp’s 362,300 barrel-per-day (bpd) Beaumont, Texas, refinery may remain shut for repairs until late January, sources familiar with plant operations said on Monday.

Exxon spokeswoman Charlotte Huffaker said maintenance activities were continuing at the Beaumont refinery, but declined to discuss the status of individual units.

The 110,000 bpd crude distillation unit was heavily damaged due to the high heat of the fire on Tuesday morning, the sources said.

No injuries were reported due to the blaze, which was extinguished about 40 minutes after it broke out, the sources said. Workers were still inspecting the damage on Monday.

The refinery’s 240,000 bpd CDU continues to operate.

The CDUs handle the primary refining of crude oil and provide feedstock to all other units.